Good afternoon.

It is Wednesday, June the 17th, 2026, and the time is 2 03 p.m.

I'm Mayor Pro Tim Martha Castax Tatum, the chair of our economic development committee, and I'd like to call this meeting to order.

I do want to welcome uh all committee and council members staff and guests in attendance today.

Uh thank you, Councilmember Flickinger, who is here, Councilmember Ramirez, who is here, Councilmember Alcorn, Vice Mayor Pro Tim Peck, who is here, Councilmember Carter.

We do have staff from Councilmember Castillo's office, staff from Councilmember Martinez's office, and staff from Councilmember Thomas's office in attendance as well.

This meeting is being uh held and is open to the public.

It's in person and virtually, and we're also broadcasting uh on HTV.

Council members and staff, of course.

If you would just hold your questions until the end of the presentation.

Uh, if you if you'd like to ask questions and are present in the chamber and request to speak, if you're joining virtually, you can request to speak in the chat pod.

Vice Chair Flickinger, do you have any remarks you'd like to make at this time?

No, ma'am.

Okay.

There are 12 members of the public who have signed up to speak today.

If you did not have an opportunity to sign up to speak and you're in the chamber and you'd like to speak, there is a sign-up sheet at the front table on your right.

Our two district K interns are manning the table, so y'all give them something to do so they can uh have have some fun today uh while they're working in the district K office.

Uh public speakers will have a chance to speak at the conclusion of the presentation.

Uh any questions uh that may come up, either today or after the presentation, you can definitely email that to the district K office at district K at Houston TX.gov, and we will forward those to the respective departments and entities for responses.

Um we have one presentation scheduled today, and that presentation will be done by Lee Vella, who is the vice president of public affairs for clear channel outdoor, and Lanny Farrow, the vice president of public affairs outfront media, and they will present today on digital billboards.

Uh Mr.

Vela and Ms.

Farrow, uh thank you for being here.

If you are ready, we are ready for your presentation.

Good afternoon, madam chair.

Thank you very much for having us here and members of council.

We appreciate you being here.

And on my left is Lanny Farrell with Outfront Media.

And we're really here to talk about an opportunity and to explain the technology that works and the benefit, the economic benefit of digital billboards.

We're here to speak about to traffic and public safety, lighting standards, and how technology can be used for across the state.

If we can change the slide, there you go.

So that's our agenda today, and we'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have once we've finished our presentation.

Uh and so um we'd like to talk about first um if we go to slide three.

Uh that's that starts with updated technology, leading to a net reduction of the number of billboards while creating a dynamic communications platform.

We are proposing um, we are proposing uh a responsible update to the Houston Sign Code that will allow legally permitted existing relocated billboards to use modern technology.

Modern technology and moving uh from printed messages to electronic messages.

You can think of this kind of like the difference between having an older model car uh that had a hand crank uh window versus a newer model that we just push a button uh for it to go up.

Uh the purpose of this technology uh is will be limited to commercial and industrial areas, um, and we propose that it'll be limited to commercial industrial areas as well as control access interstates and roadways.

We are recommending prescribed spacing between billboards, stringent light controls, a phase uh phase rollout in a number of years along with other controls and restrictions.

We recommend uh using a trade-in model there where a set of uh number where there's a set number of billboards are removed in exchange for the right to convert other billboards, uh creating it to digital technology, creating a net reduction of billboards within the city's jurisdiction.

We propose a three to one ratio, meaning a three minimum of three billboards would be permanently removed from the landscape uh before a fourth one can be converted to digital, and this will dramatically change the um the urban landscape that we live in.

This electronic platform built over a number of years creates a dynamic message tool that can be levied leveraged by the city to interact with its citizens, and on and on critical health issues, welfare issues, safety and events in real time.

Over a hundred and eleven Texas cities now allow digital billboards in their cities, and they enjoy the economic benefit from that.

We go to slide four.

What we've had out to you is some suggested language for this proposed uh ordinance change.

So um digital billboards use modern LED panels that display a series of static messages changing every eight seconds.

They do not flash, they do not scroll, they use full, they do not use full motion, but static messages that change every eight seconds.

The static messages change within less than two seconds, and panels have uh light uh sensors that automatically adjust for the ambient light in conditions.

The current technology meets dark sky ordinances uh across the country.

Next slide.

As it relates to economic impact, uh modern technology on existing billboards creates uh a positive economic uh impact on the city.

The city will see economic impact with increased construction, electrical, and operating permits uh on these digital billboards.

Small businesses have relied on out-of-home advertising primarily because other forms of media are incredibly expensive, right?

And so small businesses tend to benefit more from out-of-home, um, and this a digital technology will enhance that opportunity for small businesses.

About 70%, of billboard messages are local.

They're local small businesses.

Uh, they promote those businesses, they support and create jobs for residents, uh, and they drive sales tax revenue for the city.

In addition to local businesses, the nonprofit community, law enforcement community leverage these billboards as well, uh, to promote uh public awareness campaigns, and in some cases, nonprofits generate funding when needed.

Uh a study conducted uh by Dr.

Ray Taylor with Villanova uh recently found that 77% of businesses surveyed said that they would lose out on sales without access to billboards.